38x52 Oil on panel ©2006 Leaving the Past Behind At the time of painting this, I went to the High Holiday service at the newly restored Stone Avenue temple in Tucson. The cantor was a world famous opera singer who had endeavored to set up an institute to find and preserve all the music that had been lost in the Holocaust. (Apparently there were prayers for every part of the day). What I had painted was a relative leaving the past burning in the background -- running off and taking with him only what was valuable (as represented by the sheet of music in his hand). After attending the service, the burning castle of our family’s past then combined with the Holocaust and the cantor’s work. Although many of my paintings are inspired by personal stories, I hope to paint them in such a way that other people can attach their own meaning. I strive for the universal.